Hello! My name is Kaitlin Levangie. In the fall I will be a senior at Lexington High School. I am an avid book reader! My interest in biology originated in my seventh grade biology class. I had an awesome teacher who was very passionate about biology. He made me consider biology as a future career path. I am also a Girl Scout, I enjoy swimming and cooking. I can't wait to start camp and meet everyone!
MRT or Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy is a new procedure that can help parents who are carriers of Mitochondrial DNA mutations, to have healthy children. The therapy is a type of in-vitro fertilization, and there are two different ways to do it. The methods are Pronuclear Transfer, during which the egg is fertilized and then the nucleus is transferred to a donor egg, or Spindle Transfer, where the egg is fertilized after the nucleus of the mother's egg is placed inside a donor egg.
Mitochondria are tiny organelles in the cells of your body. They provide approximately 90% of the energy that keeps you alive. Mitochondrial diseases are caused by genetic mutations in the DNA of a Mitochondrion that, for one reason or another, cause the mitochondria to be less effective. This is debilitating and potentially lethal. There are over a hundred different types of mitochondrial diseases, but they all originate in the genetics of the mitochondria. MRT places the genes in the nucleus in a donor cell with healthy mitochondria. This helps people who are carriers of unhealthy mitochondria to have children who have a better chance of being unaffected by the disease.
A long, long time ago mitochondria were bacteria. They had their own DNA and systems of replication. Now that they are part of our cells they still maintain those properties. This means that every mitochondria has slightly different genetics, just like humans. Some mitochondria have mutations and some do not, they express mutations on a spectrum that depends on the ratio of mitochondria expressing normal genes to mitochondria expressing mutated genes. The basics of MRT remove the nucleus from the egg (or embryo) and switch it with the nucleus of a donor cell that has unmutated mitochondria. The child will be 99.98% her parents DNA and .02% donor DNA, hopefully preventing mitochondrial disease.
The benefits of MRT are mostly pretty obvious. Parents who carry mitochondrial diseases will be able to have children without risking miscarriages or infant death. Children will grow up healthier and happier. “In 2012, BBC News reported on a mother from the UK - Sharon Bernadi - who had lost all of her seven children to mitochondrial disease. As such, Bernadi strongly supports mitochondrial donation and, in a more recent story from BBC News, said she was "overwhelmed" by the support the procedure has received from UK Parliament” (BBC).
Risks
Unfortunately, however, this method is not perfect. When the nucleus is transferred to the donor cell a small amount of mitochondria can be moved with it. If the mitochondria are diseased it could potentially lead to a reemergence of mitochondrial disease later in life. However, when introduced to the donor cell the mother’s mitochondrial make up less than 2% of the total mitochondria in a cell. It is not very likely that they will replicate fast enough to overpower the unmutated mitochondria.There is also a potential for conflict between the original and transplanted genome.
-playing God -lack of consent from patient -would donor cells be regulated like organs are for transplant patients -should the child be told who their donor is -how to define parent and how far rights would extend legally
Major Events
February, 2015 - UK Parliament votes to allow MRT April, 2016 - First baby born with MRT (procedure completed in Mexico) December 15th, 2016 - UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority gives go - ahead March 17th, 2017 - HFEA grants first clinical licence to the Newcastle Fertility Centre
First Child born that went through MRT
In February, 2016 a baby boy was born to a Jordanian couple. The baby boy was the first child born that had undergone Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy. The mother was a carrier of a mitochondrial disease known as Leigh's disease. This disease is often fatal. The couple had previously lost two children to the disease and were hoping that Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy could help them. John Zhang, a researcher at New York City’s New Hope Fertility Center, performed spindle nuclear transfer to help the couple. Zhang and his team had to go to Mexico to perform the procedure as it is currently not FDA approved in the United States. However Zhang says ““to save lives is the ethical thing to do” (Grant).
Conclusion
MRT has the potential to save lives. The only question is whether the benefits outway the risks or not, legally speaking and to any couple considering the therapy.
Works Cited Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. "Mitochondrial Donation." Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, n.d. Web. 11 July 2017. Fogleman, Sarah, Casey Santana, Casey Bishop, Alyssa Miller, and David G. Capco. "CRISPR/Cas9 and Mitochondrial Gene Replacement Therapy: Promising Techniques and Ethical Considerations." American Journal of Stem Cells. E-Century Publishing Corporation, 20 Aug. 2016. Web. 11 July 2017. Gallagher, James. "Babies Made from Three People Approved in UK." BBC News. BBC, 15 Dec. 2016. Web. 11 July 2017. Loike, John D., and Nancy Reame. "Opinion: Ethical Considerations of “Three-Parent” Babies." The Scientist. The Scientist, 22 Dec. 2016. Web. 11 July 2017. Reardon, Sara ""3-Parent Baby" Claim Raises Hopes--and Ethical Concerns." Scientific American. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 July 2017. Roberts, Michelle. "First 'three Person Baby' Born Using New Method." BBC News. BBC, 27 Sept. 2016. Web. 11 July 2017. Neimark, Jill. "Unexpected Risks Found In Replacing DNA To Prevent Inherited Disorders." NPR. NPR, 01 Jan. 2017. Web. 12 July 2017. Grant, Bob. "First MRT Baby Born." The Scientist. The Scientist, 28 Sept. 2016. Web. 13 July 2017.
Hello! My name is Kaitlin Levangie. In the fall I will be a senior at Lexington High School. I am an avid book reader! My interest in biology originated in my seventh grade biology class. I had an awesome teacher who was very passionate about biology. He made me consider biology as a future career path. I am also a Girl Scout, I enjoy swimming and cooking. I can't wait to start camp and meet everyone!
Research Project
What is MRT?
MRT or Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy is a new procedure that can help parents who are carriers of Mitochondrial DNA mutations, to have healthy children. The therapy is a type of in-vitro fertilization, and there are two different ways to do it. The methods are Pronuclear Transfer, during which the egg is fertilized and then the nucleus is transferred to a donor egg, or Spindle Transfer, where the egg is fertilized after the nucleus of the mother's egg is placed inside a donor egg.
https://goo.gl/GHUnEP
Why is it important?
Mitochondria are tiny organelles in the cells of your body. They provide approximately 90% of the energy that keeps you alive. Mitochondrial diseases are caused by genetic mutations in the DNA of a Mitochondrion that, for one reason or another, cause the mitochondria to be less effective. This is debilitating and potentially lethal. There are over a hundred different types of mitochondrial diseases, but they all originate in the genetics of the mitochondria. MRT places the genes in the nucleus in a donor cell with healthy mitochondria. This helps people who are carriers of unhealthy mitochondria to have children who have a better chance of being unaffected by the disease.
https://goo.gl/7Lc7Y7
How does it work?
A long, long time ago mitochondria were bacteria. They had their own DNA and systems of replication. Now that they are part of our cells they still maintain those properties. This means that every mitochondria has slightly different genetics, just like humans. Some mitochondria have mutations and some do not, they express mutations on a spectrum that depends on the ratio of mitochondria expressing normal genes to mitochondria expressing mutated genes. The basics of MRT remove the nucleus from the egg (or embryo) and switch it with the nucleus of a donor cell that has unmutated mitochondria. The child will be 99.98% her parents DNA and .02% donor DNA, hopefully preventing mitochondrial disease.
https://goo.gl/Cxabgo
Benefits
The benefits of MRT are mostly pretty obvious. Parents who carry mitochondrial diseases will be able to have children without risking miscarriages or infant death. Children will grow up healthier and happier. “In 2012, BBC News reported on a mother from the UK - Sharon Bernadi - who had lost all of her seven children to mitochondrial disease. As such, Bernadi strongly supports mitochondrial donation and, in a more recent story from BBC News, said she was "overwhelmed" by the support the procedure has received from UK Parliament” (BBC).
Risks
Unfortunately, however, this method is not perfect. When the nucleus is transferred to the donor cell a small amount of mitochondria can be moved with it. If the mitochondria are diseased it could potentially lead to a reemergence of mitochondrial disease later in life. However, when introduced to the donor cell the mother’s mitochondrial make up less than 2% of the total mitochondria in a cell. It is not very likely that they will replicate fast enough to overpower the unmutated mitochondria.There is also a potential for conflict between the original and transplanted genome.
https://goo.gl/pGLtRb
Ethical Concerns
-playing God
-lack of consent from patient
-would donor cells be regulated like organs are for transplant patients
-should the child be told who their donor is
-how to define parent and how far rights would extend legally
Major Events
February, 2015 - UK Parliament votes to allow MRT
April, 2016 - First baby born with MRT (procedure completed in Mexico)
December 15th, 2016 - UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority gives go - ahead
March 17th, 2017 - HFEA grants first clinical licence to the Newcastle Fertility Centre
First Child born that went through MRT
In February, 2016 a baby boy was born to a Jordanian couple. The baby boy was the first child born that had undergone Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy. The mother was a carrier of a mitochondrial disease known as Leigh's disease. This disease is often fatal. The couple had previously lost two children to the disease and were hoping that Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy could help them. John Zhang, a researcher at New York City’s New Hope Fertility Center, performed spindle nuclear transfer to help the couple. Zhang and his team had to go to Mexico to perform the procedure as it is currently not FDA approved in the United States. However Zhang says ““to save lives is the ethical thing to do” (Grant).
Conclusion
MRT has the potential to save lives. The only question is whether the benefits outway the risks or not, legally speaking and to any couple considering the therapy.
Works Cited
Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. "Mitochondrial Donation." Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, n.d. Web. 11 July 2017.
Fogleman, Sarah, Casey Santana, Casey Bishop, Alyssa Miller, and David G. Capco. "CRISPR/Cas9 and Mitochondrial Gene Replacement Therapy: Promising Techniques and Ethical Considerations." American Journal of Stem Cells. E-Century Publishing Corporation, 20 Aug. 2016. Web. 11 July 2017.
Gallagher, James. "Babies Made from Three People Approved in UK." BBC News. BBC, 15 Dec. 2016. Web. 11 July 2017.
Loike, John D., and Nancy Reame. "Opinion: Ethical Considerations of “Three-Parent” Babies." The Scientist. The Scientist, 22 Dec. 2016. Web. 11 July 2017.
Reardon, Sara ""3-Parent Baby" Claim Raises Hopes--and Ethical Concerns." Scientific American. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 July 2017.
Roberts, Michelle. "First 'three Person Baby' Born Using New Method." BBC News. BBC, 27 Sept. 2016. Web. 11 July 2017.
Neimark, Jill. "Unexpected Risks Found In Replacing DNA To Prevent Inherited Disorders." NPR. NPR, 01 Jan. 2017. Web. 12 July 2017.
Grant, Bob. "First MRT Baby Born." The Scientist. The Scientist, 28 Sept. 2016. Web. 13 July 2017.